This info is based on holidays in the USA. Customs vary from country to country. For example, many countries celebrate Earth Day in March and Labor Day in May. If you have ideas for holidays celebrated in other countries, please let me know.

Boxing Day

Boxing Day is observed on December 26 each year in the UK, Canada, and parts of the US (including Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and West Virginia). The way I understand it you box up all the items you no longer use and donate them to charity.

Love in All Seasons Holiday Album

(Melanie E.)

First page: LOVE IN ALL SEASONS, I didn't try to line up the letters on any page. Scatter small stickers to represent different seasons/holidays.
First double page spread: HAPPY (upper left corner) NEW YEAR (lower right corner) Stickers in the opposite corners. I used the party hats w/ confetti dots and used the same colors in the letters
2nd double page spread: BE MY (upper left) VALENTINE (lower right) all in red. Cinnamon hearts in the opposite corners
3rd: EASTER (up left) TIME (low right) in lilac and the darker of the pinks in the letters (don't remember the correct name). Easter eggs in the corners.
4th: MOTHER'S (up left) DAY (low right) in light pink and light blue. Flowers and hearts in the corners.
5th: FATHER'S (up left) DAY (low right) in primary colors. The stars with words on them (Excellent, Super, etc.) in the corners.
6th: 4TH OF (up left) JULY (low right) in red and blue. Blue and red balloons and stars in the corners.
7th: HAPPY (up left) HALLOWEEN (low right) in yellow and orange. Various Halloween stickers in corners.
8th: WE GIVE (up left) THANKS (low right) all in brown. Corn, leaves, pumpkins in corners.
9th: MERRY (up left) CHRISTMAS (low right) in red and green. Presents/Candy canes and the silver jingle bell in the corners.
What you put on the last page will vary depending on how you decide to use the album. It could be a mini-family album for one year of holidays; favorite pictures from all through the years that bring back the best memory of that particular holiday; or a child album, showing what just that child has done on those holidays during the year. So I'm not sure what to put on that last single page.

Holidays of the Heart

The holiest of all holidays are those
Kept by ourselves in silence and apart,
The secret anniversaries of the heart...
(Henry Wadesworth Longfellow)

Greeting Card in an Album

We made a get-well card at my crop today, for one of my customers who just had bypass surgery.

Take an 8x10 album page and run a strip of photo tape down the left side next to the jeeping. Cut a sheet of white (or pastel) acid free paper the size of the page between the jeeping. Attach the paper to the photo tape. Using a straight edge, fold the paper pack about 1/4 inch from the taped edge. Decorate the front with die-cuts, photos, stickers, etc. We used a camera die-cut, and ABC stickers to spell out Get Well Soon. We also decorated with flower stickers on front. Inside we used a basket die-cut and filled it with ivy and rose stickers. We wrote: This basket full of good wishes comes to you from all of us. We missed you today. Hurry and get well so you can crop with us again soon. Everyone signed it.

This idea would be great for cards for Grandma and Grandpa or anyone into scrapbooking. By using the 8x10 size if will also fit in the 12x12 album. Photos could be mounted on the back. A page protector could be used if you cut off a narrow strip to allow for the paper that is photo taped down. This would allow the front of the card to be opened.

Note: I would put the front of the card in an 8/10 photo sleeve and attach it to the jeeping of the page using a hinge (see the idea for flip page in General Layout Ideas). Or have the paper extend past the left side of the sleeve about 1/4" and attach it to the jeeping with photo tape. Either way you could use a page protector without having to trim it.

Groundhog Day

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
there'll be two winters in the year. (Scottish couplet)

More information about Candlemas and Groundhog Day

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966. It was designed to give African American community the opportunity to celebrate their heritage and reinforce community values. It was named for the Swahili word 'kwanza' which means first fruits. The extra 'a' was added to signify America. It is based on the tradition of agricultural ancestors who got together to celebrate the harvest. The modern celebration is based on seven principals about dealing with others, rebuilding lives and creating a more positive image.

• Umoja (Unity) - to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, and nation.
• Kujichagulia (Self Determination) - to define, name and create ourselves, and speak for ourselves.
• Ujima (Collective Work And Responsibility) - to build and maintain our community together work with others to solve problems.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) - to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses together.
• Nia (Purpose) - to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community.
• Kuumba (Creativity) - to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith) --To believe in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the virtue and victory of our struggle.

This comprehensive Kwanzaa website has the history, ritual, principals, traditions and ways to celebrate the holiday.

There is a wonderful site about Ethnic Scrapbooking that has ideas for Kwanzaa pages and other things as well.

Also visit African American Scrapper. This site features pages created by African Americans but the ideas will work in any scrapbook.